Canopy for hospital beds



Nov. 3, 1931. M. E. DARNELL' CANOPY FOR HOSPITAL BEDS Filed April 10, 1931 ure 5 gvvvcntoc M E. Darnell Patented Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES MELVIN E. DARNELL, F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA CANOPY FOR HOSPITAL BEDS Application filed April 10,

My invention relates to canopies for hospital beds, the canopy being adapted to function as an enclosure for the patients head during vapor treatments and also to protect the patient from the sun and wind on outdoor sleeping porches.

An object of the invention is the provision of a canopy frame which is foldable into a very small space and which is readily unfoldable with very little manipulation. V

Another object of the invention is the provision of a canopy frame which may be slipped onto the head of the hospital bed without the use of clamps or other attaching means and which can be as readily withdrawn from the bed.

Another of my objects is the provision of a canopy frame which is not liable to collapse suddenly while in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a canopy'for hospital beds in which the canopy has a forward portion'over the patients head and also a rearward portion whereby a rear chamber will be provided for the generation of the vapor in vapor treatments.

Still another of my objects is the provision of a shelf positioned in the rear of the bed to be used as a support for the vapor generator.

Having in View these objects and others which will be pointed out in the following description, I will now refer to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a hospital bed with my canopy frame in operative position thereon.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a hospital bed with modified attaching means for my canopy.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the free end portion of one of the braces for adjustably maintaining the top of the canopy in position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the end portion of one of the frame members for the rear shelf.

The hospital bed is of the usual form. These beds are more or less standardized in their dimensions and there is relatively little variation in dimensions even between dif- 1931. Serial No. 529,239.

ferent hospitals. My frame, however, may be built to function with any of the ordinary r the hespital bed, there is a rectangular frame including a rod 1% connecting the standards 11 directly and another rod in U form and projecting forwardly from the standards 11. The rods 14 an 15 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to readily receive the head of the bed between them. In order to prevent any marring of the bed or of the varnish on the bed, I encase the end portions of the rods 14: and 15 in rubber tubing or other suitable padding and I use similar tubing at 17 for encasing the end walls of the rectangle. Similar rubber tubing is applied at 18 where the frame contacts with the head of the bed.

The canopy proper consists of two arms 19 which are slightly curved and which are pivotally connected to each other in spaced apart relation by means of the rods 21. Links 22 are pivotally connected to the arms 19 at intermediate points in the arms. These links 22 have free ends with ratchet teeth as shown in Figure 3, the teeth being adapted to engage a projecting pin 25 on the standard 11. he raising of the arms 19 will cause the ratchets of the links 22 to ride over the pins 25 which will then hold the links at any desired position. The lower ends of the ratchets at 26 are in hook form to limit the upward movement of the canopy.

The rear portion of the canopy or rather that portion in the rear of the head of the bed includes two braced arms 27 conected to each other by means of rods 28, the arms 27 being pivotally connected to the standards 11 throughthe rod 20. The braces 29 are sim ilar in all respects to the braces 22 except that the dimensions are less. The-free end portions of the braces 29 are also in the form of the free end portions of the braces 22, which form is believed to be sutliciently illustrated in Figure 3.

The releasing of the latches between the ratchets and the heads 25 immediately lowers the canopy proper which may then be folded into almost parallel relation with the stand ards 11. The rear portion of the canopy frame may be folded against the standards ll in the same manner. The frame is relatively light so that it is an easy matter to lift the frame either into or out of the position shown in Figure 1. By then covering the frame with a large sheet of canvas or with a blanket, the patients head may be entirely enclosed in a chamber into which the pre scribed vapor may be introduced. If this vapor is generated at the side of the bed and delivered through a tube, the tube may be inserted at a point above one of the braces 22. In this case the rear portion of the canopy will not be needed and it may therefore be left folded with the canopy covering hanging down over the back of the head of the bed. If the vapor is to be generated in the enclosed portion of the canopy, the arms 27 are raised into the position shown in Figure l and the cover is then dropped down to the floor in the rear of the bed. The vapor generator may then be placed either on the floor or on a chair in the rear of the bed and the vapor will thus be disseminated throughout the entire space within the chamber. To obviate the necessity of an improvised support for the vapor generator, I have provided a detachable rear shelf. This shelf consists of two arms 30 connected by means of rods 31 and having braces 32. The braces are pivotally connected to the arms 30 at intermediate u-oi. 1s thereof. The rear end portions of the arms 30 and of the braces 32 are provided with keyhole slots as shown in Figure l for engaging pins proecting from the standards 11.

In Figure 2 I have shown a somewhat modified form of the means for at aching the canopy to the bed. in this form the standards 11' are connected at their lower extremities by means of a rod 13 and the lower end portions of the standards 11 are curved at 12 in the same way that those of Figure 1 are curved. In the place of the rectangular frame including the rods 1% and 15 for em bracing the head of the bed, I provide the standards 11 with rearward U turns 34: connected by a rod 35. The points of contact are all provided with projecting devices of rubber, felt or similar material to prevent the marring of the finish of the bed in the same manner as in the form shown in Figure 1. 'In the Figure 2 form the standards 11 are maintained in upright position by the fact that the forward portion of the canopy is heavier than the rearward portion, the weight of the canopy thus holding it in position.

The operation of both canopy frames is much the same and the clamping feature in both cases involves the same principles. In

both frames the rod 13 or 13' exerts a pressure in a rearward direction on the inner side of the head of the bed while the rod 14: exerts a pressure in a forward direction on the outer side of the head of the bed, the rod 14 or 14' being at a higher level than the rod 13 or 13. The pressure in this direction is due to the unbalanced weight of the canopy and frame, the preponderance of weight being on the side above the bed itself. While both forms operate on this same principle, the Figure 1 form is to be preferred in some instances since it is not so readily displaced when it is in use.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A detachable canopy frame for beds, said frame including supporting standards having means for engaging the head of the bed on opposite sides thereof and at different levels, a top member adjustably secured to said standards and adapted to project over the bed and adapted also to unbalance the weight of said frame to maintain said engaging members in intimate contact with the head of the bed.

2. A detachable canopy frame for beds, said frame including supporting standards having means for bearing against the head of the bed in a rearward direction, and means for bearing against the head of the bed in a forward direction, said second means being at a higher level than said first means, a top pivot-ally and adjustably secured to said standards to project forwardly therefrom, and a second top member secured to said standards to project rearwardly therefrom, the first of said top members being heavier than the second of said top members to un balance the weight of said frame to maintain said engaging members in intimate contact with the head of the bed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MELVIN E. DARNELL. 

